Rising Stars: Meet Nicholas Bungart of Grove City, Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicholas Bungart.

Hi Nicholas, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My interest in photography began just before my senior year of high school, at a time when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to pursue after graduation. As I explored different possibilities, I found myself increasingly drawn to photography—a passion that felt both personal and familiar. I had my own DSLR, my dad always had his own and has taken many of his own photographs, and my uncle even worked as a professional photographer for a time. Being surrounded by that influence made the medium feel a little more natural to me for a beginner, and it didn’t take long to realize that this was something I wanted to pursue seriously. During my senior year (2020–2021), I enrolled in a photography class, which ultimately solidified my decision to continue studying it in college.

I went on to earn my bachelor’s degree in photography from Columbus College of Art & Design, where I was able to immerse myself fully in the craft. My time there allowed me to experiment across a wide range of photographic disciplines while refining both my technical and conceptual skills. I spent long hours in the studio testing ideas, adjusting lighting setups, and learning how subtle changes could dramatically shape an image. Over time, I discovered architectural photography, which quickly became one of the most engaging areas for me. I was especially drawn to its technical precision—from thoughtful composition and careful perspective control to the meticulous post-processing required to produce a polished final image.

For my senior capstone project, I chose to focus on the night sky and the growing issue of light pollution. Knowing how technically demanding astrophotography can be, I intentionally began the project nearly a year early so I would have time to experiment, make mistakes, and truly learn how to photograph the Milky Way and night landscapes effectively. The process required months of preparation and numerous overnight trips, but the challenge pushed me to grow significantly as both an artist and a problem-solver. The project culminated in a student gallery exhibition featuring my work displayed on backlit panels, a presentation style that enhanced the immersive quality of the night imagery. I graduated in May 2025, magna cum laude, and was honored as the Outstanding Senior from the Photography Department.

Currently, some of my work is as a freelance event photographer and I primarily collaborate with A Tribe for Jazz, a nonprofit organization where I document events, musical performances, meetings, and community gatherings. Alongside that work, I continue to pursue night sky photography—despite the challenges of light pollution in central Ohio—as well as landscape and architectural projects in my personal practice. Some of my most memorable experiences behind the camera have included photographing the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse, capturing the March 4, 2025 lunar eclipse, and documenting several aurora borealis displays that have appeared since 2024, each of which reminded me why I was drawn to photography in the first place.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s been an uneven road, full of unexpected twists and turns that have pulled me in directions I never anticipated. At times, I’ve found myself shifting between different ideas and circumstances, adjusting as I go. Right now, it feels like a path whose destination isn’t entirely clear, as I work to balance planning for the future with taking the necessary steps in the present to move toward the goals I’ve set for myself. Some of the main challenges I’ve faced include learning how to truly “put myself out there” in order to grow my freelance work and move forward with my own personal work in night sky photography while living in an area where it is almost impossible to achieve.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My personal photography centers on night sky, landscape, and architectural work. Among the projects I’m most proud of are my full-sequence documentations of both a solar and a lunar eclipse over the past two years, as well as the spontaneous aurora borealis display I experienced—and photographed—for the first time in 2024, followed by additional bursts in November 2025. I’m also currently planning to view and photograph the Perseid meteor shower this August, which will be my first time experiencing a meteor shower in person.

A core principle in my work is striving for accuracy in how the subject is represented. I try to avoid heavy overprocessing or visual exaggeration, because for me, photography loses its meaning if it no longer reflects something real. Lately, I’ve been particularly interested in exploring panoramic techniques as a way to create images that more closely resemble how our eyes naturally perceive a scene—accounting for distance, field of view, distortion, and compression—in order to produce photographs that feel both immersive and truthful.

What are your plans for the future?
For now, my plan is to continue working as much as possible so I can build stability and move forward in certain areas of my life. In the long term, I hope to relocate to a different state—one with more diverse landscapes, closer access to places I want to explore and experience, and, ideally, darker skies with less light pollution for night photography.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nickbungart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickbungart.photo/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasbungart/